1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to drug information computers. More particularly, the present invention relates to portable drug information computers having a microchip containing software and drug information for easy retrieval.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Nurses are required by the state and the hospital to know, at least, about the indications and actions of the drugs they are administering. With patients who have up to twenty drugs or more, time becomes a critical factor in delivering care, and the present invention allows rapid access to drug information compared to the time lost while using paper drug guides.
Numerous innovations for drug information computer have been provided in the prior art that are described as follows. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they differ from the present invention as hereinafter contrasted.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,958, titled System for Identifying Solid Dosage Units, invented by Stephen Thomas, a system is described for identifying solid dosage units, such as tablets or capsules, of drugs or other medications which may be found beside a patient or which may have been handed in at a hospital. The system comprises a sizing member having a substantially straight sided channel which tapers towards one end to define a V-shaped channel in which a dosage unit can be placed, markings being associated with the channel for indicating a dimension parameter of the unit when so placed. The system also comprises a color region having a plurality of colored areas for indicating a color parameter of the dosage unit, a shape region bearing a series of shape parameters and an information storage and retrieval system which may be in the form of a punched card system or a computer. Parameters of the dosage unit obtained from said V-shaped channel, from said color region and from said shape region, and, optionally, from other physical characteristics of the dosage unit are fed into the information storage and retrieval system to provide an identification of the unit.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a manual device system for identifying solid dosage units of tablets or capsules which may be found beside apatient or which 1494 have been handed in at a hospital. The patent invention is a mechanical device which indicates a dosage based on the size of a pill or capsule.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,766,542, titled System and Software for Pharmaceutical Prescription Compliance, invented by Richard R. Pilarczyk, a system for contacting customers of a pharmacy automatically to remind them that their prescriptions need to be refilled does so using a computer, memory, and automatic telephone dialing and voice synthesizing equipment. Information concerning each customer and his or her prescription is placed in a database in the memory. A schedule file which lists customer name, phone number, the drug prescribed and refill due date is created from this information. The schedule file is kept in chronological order by refill due date. At selected times, customers whose prescriptions are due to be refilled within selected time periods are automatically contacted by the computer using the automatic telephone dialer. When the telephone is answered, the voice synthesizer identifies the customer by name, the prescribed drug and prescription number. The voice synthesizer then reminds the customer that the prescription is due to be refilled if the medication was taken as prescribed. The system generates various reports for the pharmacist concerning its automatic activities.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a system for contacting customers of a pharmacy, automatically, to remind them that their prescriptions need to be refilled. The patented invention does so using a computer, memory, and automatic telephone dialing and voice synthesizing equipment. The patented invention lacks a feature for displaying information about the drug being prescribed. Your invention is a computerized drug data base which can be stored on a Palm Top Computer device having: a data input device such as a disk, card or CD drive, keyboard, and processing unit. The data base of drug information is stored on a data storage device such as a disk, card, or CD. A computer software program operating on the palm top computer provides access to the drug information data base and provides features which facilitate accessing specific information related to treatment, dispensing and patient care.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,441, titled Portable Handheld Terminal, invented by Peter P. Gombrich, a handheld pocket terminal (22) having a display screen (40) and bar code reader (42).
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a device and system which reads bar codes and dispenses drugs according to the information on the bar code. The patented invention lacks features similar to the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,121, titled Non-Prescription Drug Medication Screening System, invented by Albert R. Brill and Denis Sosnoski, a system for use in pharmacies which uses customer inputs to assist the customer with the selection of an appropriate non-prescription medication to relieve symptoms of an illness, injury or the like. The system uses an expert system to perform the selection. The system utilizes a personal computer with a keyboard, monitor and disk drive as input/output devices with appropriate programming for prompting a user to input information which is used by a knowledge base to determine non-prescription medications which may be purchased by the customer to relieve symptoms of injuries and illnesses covered by the knowledge base. The system operates by prompting a user, typically a customer, in a pharmacy to input basic customer information . After the basic customer information has been input the customer is prompted to select one main symptom category from a list of displayed and the choice made results in the appropriate knowledge base being loaded for the next step. The logic of the loaded knowledge base itself determines which questions are asked of the customer by the display of appropriate questions on the monitor. The output of each knowledge base on completion of the questions and answers is a list of component medications recommended for use with the symptoms described. The list of component medications generated by the execution of the knowledge base is used to search a database to find the appropriate product to be recommended.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a system for use in pharmacies which uses customer inputs to assist the customer with the selection of an appropriate non-prescription medication. The patented invention is limited to non prescription drugs. The patented invention is a software program designed to operate on a PC. The present invention is a computerized drug data base including both prescription and nonprescription drugs, which can be stored on a Palm Top Computer device having: a data input device such as a disk, card or CD drive, keyboard, and processing unit. The data base of drug information is stored on a data storage device such as a card, CD, or disk. A computer software program operating on the palm top computer provides access to the drug information data base and provides features which facilitate accessing specific information related to treatment, dispensing and patient care.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,270, titled Buying Guide, invented by Malcolm Schaul and James Broderick, a novel buying guide means detachably secured to a newspaper or magazine insert is provided. The multi-page buying guide includes check list with indicators to note and organize an inventory of shopping items and coupons from the accompanying newspaper or insert. Redeemable coupons for use in conjunction with the buying guide are provided in the accompanying insert. The buying guide further includes pouch means within the guide for coupons representing products indicated on the guide. Indicators are printed adjacent selected products to notify the buyer that coupons related to particular items on the checklist are located in the accompanying insert.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a novel buying guide newspaper or magazine insert. The patented invention is a manual system for making a list of shopping items. The patented invention lacks features similar to the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,238, titled Health Support System, invented by Dan M. Kirk, Norman C. Gehring and George J. Butorac, a home health and communications support system and method which includes at least one health support unit for monitoring and supporting a patient, at least one monitoring terminal, and a network server coupled between at least one health support unit and at least one monitoring terminal for exchanging information between at least one health support unit and at least one monitoring terminal. The health support unit comprises a medication controller, communications module for interacting with the patient, central data processor, and external communications interface. The central data processor stores and manipulates patient data generated by the medication controller and by the communications module for patient interaction. The external communications interface allows access to patient data and accepts external data from an external source.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a home health and communications support system and method. The patented invention lacks a data base of information on drugs. The present invention is a computerized drug data base which can be stored on a Palm Top Computer device. A computer software program operating on the palm top computer provides access to the drug information data base and provides features which facilitate accessing specific information related to treatment, dispensing and patient care.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,456,663, titled Drugs and Methods for Treating Disease, invented by Jerome H. Lemelson, a method for treating a disease and drug units for use in performing such method. The method involves invading and flooding select cells of a living being with a drug or medical material to correct a genetic flaw, destroy or otherwise prevent the production or multiplication of a disease defining substance such as a virus in such cells or prevent the cells from uncontrollably growing or dividing. The method involves injecting or otherwise administering a dose of drug units to the body or bloodstream of a living being and targeting such drug units to the select cells to be treated and invaded with the drug of the units. In a preferred form, the drug is a derivative of vitamin A, such as 13-cis retinoic acid or other synthetic retinoid, which operates upon invading and flooding immature or precancerous white blood cells to restore the regulatory apparatus which they lack permitting them to mature normally and perform their normal functions such as their formation of platelets and preventing them from multiplying uncontrollably. The method involves forming such drug units of a small quantity of such drug, preferably encapsulated in a microcapsule or biodegradable material and containing one or more targeting particles attached thereto for targeting or attaching the drug unit to the desired immature or diseased cell to be treated with the drug upon its attachment and release to the select cell to which the drug unit targets. In a particular form, select doses of such drug units are intermittently administered to the body or bloodstream by timed controlled administration of such select dose and/or by their timed release from a body implant employing biodegradation or other mechanism to effect such timed does or drug unit release. In another form, the implant contains or is connected to a computer and includes means for detecting the presence and quantity or level of the cells requiring treatment, wherein the computer effects and controls the release of select quantities of such targeting drug units to the body or bloodstream in accordance with the information computed by the computer.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a method for invading and flooding selected cells of a living being with a drug or medical material to correct a genetic flaw, destroy or otherwise prevent the production or multiplication of a disease defining substance or prevent the cells from uncontrollably growing or dividing. The patented invention lacks features similar to the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,597,995, titled Automated Medical Prescription fulfillment system having Work Stations for Imaging, Filling, and Checking the Dispensed Drug Product, invented by Jeffrey P. Williams, Robert Mathews and Alvin Towle, the patented invention provides a pharmacy system for automating the medical prescription fulfillment process for a customer. It includes an imaging work station having a host computer for receiving data entry of an original medical prescription for a prescribed drug product and customer information and for producing a prescription transaction data record; and electronic communication device for communicating the prescription transaction data record from the host computer to a series of computers. A filling work station includes dispensing apparatus for counting, dispensing and packaging of the dispensed drug product into the drug vial for the customer. A checking work station includes a scanner for scanning the bar code label on the drug vial, and a display for displaying the digitized image of the original medical prescription, and for displaying a digitized image of the prescribed drug product to allow a first visual comparison between the digitized image of the prescribed drug product and the dispensed drug product in the drug vial, and a second visual comparison between the digitized image of the original medical prescription and the dispensed drug product in the drug vial before it is given to the customer.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention provides a pharmacy system for automating the medical prescription fulfillment process for a customer. The patented invention is much more complex than your invention and has features such automated dispensing of prescription drugs. The patented invention lacks features similar to the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,280, titled Apparatus for Assembling and Displaying Information, invented by Thomas C. Scales, a group of cards containing printed information on one or more selected topics and interconnected to form a deck of such cards. The deck may include a title card bearing indicia denoting a particular topic of information on other cards in the deck, and also may include one or more cards containing general information on the topic, as well as subject cards containing information on one or more specific items relating to the topic. The subject cards include indicia, preferably along a marginal portion of the card, denoting the particular subject for which that card, or the facing surface of the card, contains information.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a group of cards with which the user manually locates printed information on one or more selected topics. The patented invention lacks features similar to the present invention.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,059, titled Process and Unit for Univocal Pairing of Drugs Corresponding to a Prescribed Treatment with a Given Patient, invented by Angelo Ferrario, a process and apparatus are disclosed for pairing drugs corresponding to a prescribed treatment with a given patient including marking of arm bands or other identification devices with the patient's identification data, permanently attaching the identification device to the patient, retrieving a drug corresponding to the prescribed treatment and verifying its agreement with the drug administration data stored on the identification device, introducing the drug into a container which is previously marked with the patient identification data and drug administration data and closing the container. The process further includes moving the container to a drug delivery station at the patient location and verifying agreement of the data marked on the container with that stored on the identification device of the patient. Subsequently, the container is opened and agreement between the patient identification data marked on the identification device and the drug administration data marked on the container are verified with the drug subsequently being administered upon verification of the agreement.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a process and apparatus are disclosed for pairing drugs corresponding to a prescribed treatment with a given patient . The patented invention is an automated tracking, dispensing, and verifying machine for providing a patient with drug treatment on a scheduled basis. The present invention is a portable drug information data base which lists information about specific drugs in a format tailored for the medical community.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,743, titled Drug Information Request System, invented by Christopher Lloyd, the present invention relates to a system whereby a consumer, and in particular a patient, may make a request that information with respect to a drug be transmitted to him or her. In accordance with the present invention, a doctor may provide a patient with an information request post card. The information request post card may, in one aspect, for example, have a first information correlation component and a second postal destination component. The first component may comprise a plurality or correlation groups, each correlation group comprising a said identification symbol and an associated check-off section for being marked so as to designate the said identification symbol, and a consumer identification section for the insertion of postal information of a consumer. The second component may have a destination information section comprising postal information of a distant site from which information about a drug associated with a designated identification symbol may be transmitted to a consumer using postal information present in said consumer identification section.
The patented invention differs from the present invention because the patented invention is a manual means for determining information about a drug. The patented invention functions with a postcard which is mailed by a user to a central location where information about the prescribed drugs are located and sent to the users by return mail. The patented invention lacks features similar to the present invention.
Numerous innovations for drug information computers have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.